Review: Rush

Before seeing Rush, the extent of my knowledge on its subject matter was limited. I was aware that Niki Lauda was a former Formula 1 driver but I had never heard of James Hunt. My interest in the sport in general is just as limited. Thankfully, this does not stop the direction of Ron Howard and the screenplay of Peter Morgan from delivering what is one of my favourite films of the year.

For the uninitiated, Rush tells the story of the rivalry between two young Formula 3 drivers – the British playboy James Hunt [Chris Hemsworth] and the austere Austrian Niki Lauda [Daniel Brühl]. Taking an almost immediate dislike to each other, both drivers aim to progress their respective careers to the highest level, watching one another’s progress along the way. Pitting themselves against each other, Hunt and Lauda push themselves to the limits of their ability and endurance. Unfortunately, the longer you test your capabilities, the more likely it is you will find and exceed them.

If you simply looked up the history of these two people, you would probably guess that Rush is a schmaltz-ridden, rose-tinted movie. However, Morgan’s screenplay gives an unflinching account of two people, who under normal circumstances, would be thought of as lunatics. There is a line that Lauda repeats at a few points in the film, where he says he is willing to accept a 20% chance of being killed but “not one per cent more” – and he is considered the more risk-averse of the two!

Howard manages to capture the thrill and danger of Formula 1 driving magnificently. Using lens from the 70’s, the visuals have an over-saturated look which reminds me of the race footage seen in the recent Senna documentary. The sound design is also exemplary here, with the sound of the engines given priority at the right moments. All of this, together with the jump-cut editing and the driver point-of-view shots, creates an exhilarating experience during the races – and the sense of danger is palpable throughout.

Brühl and Hemsworth play the rivals to perfection. The brutal honesty of Brühl’s Lauda makes him an unlikeable, arrogant “asshole”. Hemsworth’s natural charm ensures you always forgive Hunt’s playboy antics despite his equally “asshole”-like behaviour. During the quiet moments, when each faces their demons, both actors are superbly engaging. By the end of the movie, despite all of their remaining character flaws, you cannot help but respect them.

While the focus of Rush is on Hunt, Lauda and their relationship, one of the aspects of the movie I was disappointed in was the lack of focus on their relationships to the other people in their lives. Alexandra Maria Lara and Olivia Wilde are two fantastic actresses and play the spouses of the two drivers but I felt they were underused here, especially Wilde who is given one short scene where she meets Hunt before she is suddenly married to him. Neither are given much to work with while the focus is on the two main characters but it would have been interesting to see how they were being affected by the rivalry also.

Whether or not you are a petrol-head, Rush is an honest look at two driven people who become “best enemies”. While the off-track drama is not quite as exhilarating as the on-track excitement, the story is gripping without being sentimental. With two fantastic lead turns and a superb screenplay, this is most certainly an Oscar-worthy effort.

Tags: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brühl, Ron Howard, Rush, Working Title